Glute Building Exercises For Sculpting A Nice Shapely Butt - At Home!

Swiss Ball Butt Busters

This exercise works on your butt, hamstrings and back. As a beginner you should have your arms out to the side to help with balance. As you get better you can bring them in. This will help strengthen your stabilizing core muscles.

If you're really strong, you can make it more difficult by using just 1 leg.

1. Lie on the ground with your feet up on a swiss ball.
2. Raise your hips so that you have a straight back.
3. This is the start position.
4. Bend your knees to 90 degrees.
5. The swiss ball will roll with your feet.
6. Make sure that you do not bend at the hips.
7. Hold for about a second.
8. Roll back to the start position.
9. Repeat.

Dumbbell Lunges

This exercise is really good for your glutes and thighs. Pushing up powerfully out of the deep lunge is where the real work gets done.

Make sure that your knee doesn't go past your toes.

1. Get a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Stand up straight with tucked hips.
3. Step into a deep lunge position.
4. Hold still for about 1/2 second.
5. Push off your leg to stand up again.
6. Repeat.
7. Swap sides and repeat.

Killer Squats

These aren't called killer squats for no reason. They are difficult! In fact you may not even be able to do 1 in the beginning. Instead, work up to doing them. Use a couple of chairs on either side of you for support.

1. Find something to help you balance.
2. Put one of your legs out to the front.
3. Lower your body with your other leg.
4. Try to do this as slowly as you can.
5. Slowly stand again.
6. Repeat...if you can.
7. Change legs.

Killer Twists

This glute building exercise is intense, especially if you use a decent weight. After a few sets of these your heart should be pounding in your chest... If it is, pat yourself on the back, you're working hard and going to see results!

1. Get a weight - medicine balls work best.
2. Spread your legs about 1/2 a meter apart.
3. Twist your body towards one side.
4. Hold your weight up above your head.
5. This is the starting position.
6. Lower the weight and twist your body towards the opposite side.
7. Bend your knees and crouch.
8. Remember to keep a controlled movement.
9. Stand up again slowly and move back to the start position.
10. Repeat.
11. Change sides.

Doggy Leg Kicks

This exercise becomes more effective if you go as high as you can and then push it just a little bit more. That extra increase in intensity does you lots of good.

1. Get onto all fours.
2. Keep your back as straight as possible.
3. Raise one foot upwards.
4. Try keep a 90 degree angle between your hamstring and calf.
5. Make sure that you keep your hips level.
6. Once you get to the top, pump up your leg just that little bit higher.
7. Lower your leg back down, but don't touch the floor.
8. Remember to do this in a controlled movement.
9. Repeat.
10. Change legs.

Back Kicks

This is a nice simple, relatively easy glute building exercise. If it's too easy, you can use a resistance band around your ankle to make it harder.

1. Find a ledge or something to hold for balance.
2. Keep your back as straight as possible and your hips aligned.
3. Hold one leg slightly out to the front.
4. Slowly move it backwards, nice and controlled.
5. Go as high as you can without twisting at the hip.
6. Squeeze your butt as you raise your leg backwards.
7. Return to the start position.
8. Repeat.
9. Change legs.

Squat Squeezes

Here's a glute building exercise which makes a lot of people feel self-conscious. If you do them correctly they look like mild pelvic thrusts! It's a good thing you're doing them at home right :)

1. Lower yourself into the squat position.
2. Stand up and squeeze your glutes as tight as you can.
3. Hold for 3-5 seconds.
4. Release back down to the squat position.
5. Repeat.

Split Jumps

This is a fantastic exercise. It gets your heart rate going and really works your glutes and thighs.

1. Get into the lunge position.
2. Spring yourself as high as you can into the air.
3. While you're in the air, switch legs.
4. Land in the lunge position on the opposite side.
5. Repeat.